A dull longsword and a heartbroken villager

Hell? No, even that word describes what Bray just saw.

The school in the nightmare seemed to be shrouded in despair.

If Bray wasn't mistaken, those sac-like objects were probably the children living in the school dormitory.

Bray really hoped he was wrong.

However, based on all the clues, this is the only possibility.

The sac-like object did not appear to be dead, which means that the children have not yet experienced their first "death" in the nightmare.

But what about those sac-like structures that constantly teeter on the brink of life and death? How many deaths have they experienced?

There was no particular emotion in Bray's eyes.

He continued onward, needing to witness more.

"Aa ...

The fleshy sac makes this head look like a brain.

"Why is everything grayish-white? What happened?"

"This must be a nightmare, it must be..."

"Aaaaaah!! This must be a nightmare!!" The person frantically smashed things around them.

The voice was clearly that of a woman, but the sound coming through the bag made it difficult to discern the truth.

Bray darted forward and subdued the man's rampage.

“Calm down…” Bray said in a deep voice.

"Who are you? I can't see your face or hear your voice."

"How did the school suddenly become like this?"

"Gods, what has happened?" The man clutched his head in his hands.

But then he suddenly discovered the strangeness of his head.

"Aaaaaah!! What happened?!" A heart-wrenching scream reached Bray's ears.

By now, Bray has finally realized one thing.

That was the experiment conducted by the man in the tattered robe, which caused the subjects' "hearts" to suddenly rise, to the point that they realized they were in a nightmare.

The person who had been stopped by Bray shoved Bray away.

"Clatter—" Because of the woman's movement, some things fell out of her pocket.

“My student, that’s right, my student.” The woman struggled to her feet and began to walk, feeling her way along the wall.

Bray bent down and picked up the things the woman had dropped.

Of course, after Bray saw what it was, his pupils involuntarily contracted.

That's a talisman, a wooden talisman.

Bray quickly took out the amulet from his pouch.

The same.

This is a talisman that Kaima gave herself; it's a very ordinary handmade item.

“Kaima!” Bray suddenly looked up and shouted.

This person... is Kaima, a teacher at this school.

"You know me?" The woman stopped.

“I know you, and you know me,” Bray said softly.

"I..." Before Bray could say anything, a sudden change occurred in Kaima.

The fleshy sac began to grow wildly, completely enveloping Kaima.

"Aaaaaaah, what's that sound?"

"Brain matter...the brain matter seems to be churning..."

"Help me...help me..." She tried her best to reach out her right hand before the fleshy sac enveloped her.

Bray drew his sword, intending to cut open the fleshy sac.

"Help me... I don't want to die, help me..."

"Hahahaha, hehehehe..." The cry for help turned into short bursts of laughter.

It sounds a bit crazy.

As if it were a pre-designed script, the night suddenly faded away.

Bray's sword ultimately failed to fall.

Bray had no idea what happened next. He woke up from the nightmare, drenched in sweat.

When Bree looked up, he saw that the bright moon was still hanging high in the sky.

Not much time had passed.

Bray casually wiped the sweat from his forehead.

The hellish scene at the school in that nightmarish town is still vivid in my mind.

Bray, leaning against the wall, slowly slid to the ground.

It's not that I'm afraid of anything... I'm just tired.

He's just very tired right now.

“Let’s go back…” Bray said to himself, tilting his head back.

---

"Thank you so much for your help. It seems that nothing strange has happened in the town anymore." William smiled and shook Bray's right hand.

These adventurers seem to have done a good job of fulfilling their mission.

“By the way, we’ll give you some extra compensation later,” William said to Bray.

The level of completion of Bray's commission this time exceeded William's expectations.

"You no longer need to keep watch."

“Is that so?” Bray replied casually.

"You've been staying up all night for a week straight, it's time to take a break."

"You can use that accommodation until you leave."

Of course, William didn't think Bray would stay for long, maybe a week at most.

"Thank you so much, that saves me some rent." Bray shrugged.

"We will be leaving soon, Mr. William, please take care."

"The same goes for you. When you really leave, say goodbye to me."

"Hmm." Bray nodded, sounding somewhat listless.

William then pushed open the door to Bray's residence and left in a hurry.

William had to handle all the town's complicated affairs.

William seems to be very busy every day.

It's a bit unbelievable that someone like that isn't the town mayor.

“Brave, you don’t look well,” Naruko nudged Bray with her elbow.

"Just a little tired."

"have a rest."

"No, not yet," Bray murmured.

The situation in the town left Bray no time to rest.

“Oh, by the way, I’m going to the school,” Bray said.

"The school, or the town's?"

"Otherwise, what am I supposed to do? Go back to my sister's school in the capital?" Bray said irritably.

"Go early and return early."

"Of course I'll come back. I want to get a good night's sleep." Bray waved his hand casually.

"Come back soon." Levy waved vigorously.

With Bray not around, Levy's lethargic state isn't as severe as it used to be.

Bray can leave for a short period of time with peace of mind.

---

Bray easily found the school in Knight Town.

He only went there once in his nightmares, how could he forget where it was so quickly?

The school in reality is quite normal, with flat walls made of red bricks and iron gates that are a bit rusty but reasonably well-maintained.

Bray stood at the school's main gate for a long time, seemingly lost in thought.

"Hello, sir, who are you looking for?" the doorman asked tentatively.

Many people in Knighttown can recognize Bray, including this doorman.

That's why the gatekeeper didn't kick Bray out directly.

Otherwise, how could the gatekeeper possibly let a guy who looks like a robber stay at the school gate?

“Let’s find Teacher Kaima,” Bray said after a moment’s hesitation.

"Teacher Kaima? Just go in and ask around, you'll find her." The gatekeeper shrugged.

"Go in, but don't stay too long, or we'll throw you out as a suspicious person."

"Okay," Bray replied and went into the school.

Walking through the school, nothing strange happened along the way.

Students attend classes when they are supposed to, and play when they are supposed to after class.

The school was filled with the sounds of students reciting their lessons and laughing as they played.

It's completely different from the school in my nightmares.

“By the way, do you know where Ms. Kaima is?” Bray grabbed a student and asked.

“Teacher Kaima? You should be able to find her if you follow this direction.” The student pointed south.

"Most of the teachers teach over there." After saying that, the student slipped away.

"But the teacher seems a bit strange today," the student said to Brado before walking away.

Following the direction the student pointed, Bray successfully encountered Kaima.

"Teacher Kaima, look, this is a little bird I folded," a girl said excitedly to Kaima, holding a paper crane in her hands.

“Hmm.” Kaima nodded blankly, without any expression.

"Teacher Kaima?" The girl looked at Kaima strangely.

"Is the teacher feeling unwell today?"

"..." This time, Kaima simply didn't answer, shaking her head to indicate that she wasn't feeling unwell.

"Oh..." The little girl seemed a little disappointed.

"Teacher, I'm going to find other people to play with." The little girl waved to Kaima and then walked away.

Kaima didn't even respond to the little girl.

After the little girl had walked quite a distance, Kaima continued walking.

Kaima walked unsteadily, as if she might collapse at any moment.